The International Center for Peace and
Development carries on research in the fields of development, education,
employment, peace and security and works in collaboration with other
organizations to promote activities that will advance progress toward world
peace and prosperity. ICPD was established as a non-profit, non-governmental organization in 1997 to continue the
work initiated by the International Commission on Peace and Food (ICPF).
The Commission was constituted in 1989 by a group of 25 concerned scientists,
professionals, international administrators, business, social and political leaders from
15 nations to promote global peace and development in the post-Cold War world. Over a six
year period ICPF conducted a series of international conferences and research projects on
a wide range of issues concerning global security, conversion of resources from military
to civilian purposes, food security, employment, economic development, and the
environment. Our work focused on the development problems of poorer countries such as
India, the challenges of rapid transition in Eastern Europe, particularly in the nations
of the former Soviet Union, and the prospects and opportunities for peaceful development
in the Middle East. In addition we devoted considerable effort to studying and evolving
proposals to address concerns about rising unemployment in the West. The general findings
and recommendations of the Commission are summarized in a report entitled Uncommon Opportunities: Agenda for Peace and Equitable
Development (Zed Books 1994), which was presented to the Secretary General
of the United Nations for formal consideration by member countries.

From the outset, the objective the Commission was to
evolve practical strategies that could be implemented at the field level to demonstrate
the feasibility of accelerating the development process. The most noteworthy of these
efforts was a study we conducted on employment potentials in India in which we formulated
a strategy for generating 100 million new jobs in the country within 10 years. Another
study was conducted on the utilization of military resources for environmental protection.

After submission of the report to the UN, the
Commission members decided that the next stage of work should focus on implementation,
rather than further research. The International Center was established to carry on the
work of the Commission.

ICPD supports an on-going
research program conducted by
MSS Research, the social science research division of The Mother’s
Service Society (MSS),
Pondicherry, India. The research papers hosted on this siteare based on research
undertaken by MSS and prepared by staff of MSS. For a complete list of
research papers, please see
www.mssresearch.org.

Governing
Board

Executive DirectorGarry
Jacobs, economic development
and business consultant, served as Member Secretary of the International
Commission on Peace and Food, co-authored the Commission’s report, Uncommon Opportunities: Agenda for Peace &
Equitable Development, and headed its task force on Employment. He is
currently Chairman of the Board of Trustees and CEO of the World Academy of Art & Science,
Managing Editor of Cadmus Journal, and Vice-President of The Mother’s Service Society, a social
science research institute based in Pondicherry, India. He is also author of
several books on management and development.

DirectorSRobert Macfarlane, a management and development consultant,
served as Treasurer of the International Commission on Peace and Food and
co-authored the Commissions report, Uncommon Opportunities. He is Treasurer
and Senior Research Fellow at the Mother's Service Society, Pondicherry,
India since 1974 where he has pioneered innovative strategies for economic
development. He is author of several business books and articles.

Robert
van Harten, is a Senior Research Fellow at The Mother's Service
Society. He was a founding member of the International Commission on Peace
and Food and major contributor to the Commission’s work on peace and
disarmament issues. He is also a Fellow of the World Academy of Art &
Science and member of its Academy's Standing Committee on Peace &
Development. Earlier he worked for five years on economic development
projects in India. He is also actively working on the application of
Effective Microorganisms in agriculture and environmental clean-up in Europe
and India. He is also an entrepreneur and founder of Mira International,
Netherlands.

Harlan Cleveland,
chairman of ICPD from 2000-2008, distinguished international diplomat,
educator and author, passed away on May 30, 2008.
Read press releases on Professor Cleveland's accomplishments in the
Star Tribune and
Washington Post.